Decision Coming on Future of New York Jets Embattled Veteran Kicker

The New York Jets will hold tryouts for the second time in three weeks, with Greg Zuerlein’s future hanging in the balance.

East Rutherford, NJ -- October 14, 2024 -- After missing two field goals run the second half, Greg Zuerlein of the Jets leaves the field at the end of the game. The Buffalo Bills came to MetLife Stadium to play the NY Jets. The Jets played their first game under new interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets will have a competition with two kickers who could potentially replace veteran Pro Bowl placekicker Greg Zuerlein on Tuesday, according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.

This comes after the Jets tried out three kickers after their loss to Buffalo two weeks ago. At the time, they stuck with Zuerlein. But after another poor performance against New England, his time with the Jets may be up.

He said the two kickers will compete at MetLife Stadium and a decision would be made by Thursday.

“We’re going to have a good week of work,” Ulbrich said. “The beauty of the kicking area is that you don’t need the rest that the rest of these guys necessarily need, so we’ll have a competition. Bring some guys in, and the best guy will play on Thursday.”

Ulbrich did not disclose who the kickers were or say whether this would be the end for Zuerlein with the Jets. The coach also did not make any sort of commitment to Zuerlein. But the writing is likely on the wall.

Zuerlein has the worst field-goal percentage of any kicker in the NFL at the moment as he is 9-for-15. This comes after two quality seasons for the Jets in which he 30-for-37 in 2022 and 35-for-38 in 2023. For his career he is a 82.2 percent kicker.

This year he is just 60%, his worst since he went 66.7% in 2015.

When the Jets hosted kickers a few weeks ago, they brought in Riley Patterson, Cade York and Matt Coghlin. This came after Zuerlein admitted to some mechanical issues after the Bills loss.

While the veteran kicker is by no means the only issue for the Jets, he has come up short in critical moments this season.

Against the Patriots he missed an extra point in the first quarter and missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt with 12:39 left in the game. He pulled both right. It put the Jets in a position to have to go for a two-point conversion while up five points on the Patriots in the final three minutes. The conversion failed and New England rallied to win.

Ulbrich said after the game that he did not regret sticking with him after earlier struggles.

Against Denver in Week 4 Zuerlein missed a 50-yarder that would have won the game. The Jets lost that game, 10-9, but he accounted for all nine of New York’s points that day.

Then, two weeks later against Buffalo, he went 2-for-4 on field goals and missed two in the second half that could have given the Jets the lead. In fact, had he made both kicks, the Jets would have beaten the Bills.

Both attempts hit the upright, one from 32 yards and one from 43 yards.